Stars, Vastu, mouthwatering Mysore Pak to spice up BJP meet

Bangalore, Sep 11 (IANS) Astrologically auspicious time for the start and conclusion, seating arrangements based on the ancient Hindu wisdom of Vastu and a feast including Karnataka’s famous sweet dish Mysore Pak and north Indian Malai Kofta are in store for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership gathering here from Friday to decide the strategy to rule India again.”Yes. Mysore Pak and Bisi Bele Bhath (spicy mix of various vegetables and rice - a typical south Karnataka delicacy) will be there. So also will be delicacies of north and coastal Karnataka,” a BJP official said as leaders began arriving for the three-day national executive meet at the swank Chancery Pavilion hotel on the Residency Road, one of the busiest avenues of India’s IT hub.

“Since delegates from various parts of India are attending the meet, delicacies of various regions will be there,” the official said declining to be named.

The meet is scheduled to begin at noon with an address by party president Rajnath Singh.

“The time for the inaugural is fixed at noon as delegates are arriving from various parts of the country and not for any astrological reasons,” the official said when asked about the timing.

Karnataka’s Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, first BJP chief minister in south India, is known to be a strong believer in astrology and times his engagements as advised by his favourite astrologers.

According to Hindu calender, the inauspicious Rahu Kalam period is between 10.30 a.m. to noon Friday.

Yeddyurappa and several other state BJP leaders are also firm believers in Vastu Shastra that, among other things, suggests that size, direction and other aspects of a building should be in harmony with nature to ensure peace and prosperity for the people who live or work in such places.

Hence the dais for the leaders and the seating arrangement for the delegates will be in conformity with Vastu.

Rajnath Singh, party’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani and some other senior leaders will be staying in the Karnataka government guest houses, about three km away from the meet venue. Most other delegates are accommodated in hotels.

The party has already flown in a media contingent from Delhi which was taken to Mysore during the day for sight seeing.

A media centre with around 50 computers with internet connections began functioning Thursday evening at Hotel Woodlands, less than a kilometre away from Chancery Pavilion.

On Saturday Advani will address a public rally, Sankalp Yatra, at the National College grounds, about eight km south of the meet venue and a favourite place for political rallies, in the middle-class dominated Basavanagudi, which is part of the Lok Sabha constituency of BJP general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar.

The Karnataka BJP unit has set up 24 committees to ensure the meeting, first to be held in Bangalore after the party came to power in the state, goes off without any glitch.

By Thursday afternoon BJP flags were fluttering on Residency Road and police had already taken position at the Chancery Pavilion hotel as part of the security measures as Advani comes under Z-category security, the highest individual security ring provided by the Indian government.

Traffic movement on and around Residency Road where several leading Bangalore schools are located is expected to be affected during the meet.

“We are working on a plan to ensure there is minimum disruption,” a city police official said.